It is just me, but I would avoid "Kronk's New Groove" and pick up "Valiant".
I saw "Valiant" in the theater twice, and enjoyed it a lot more the second time after I realized that Walt Disney had nothing to do with this movie except the distribution.
The British Animation is a little clumsy in parts, but the story is pure heart-warming. I will definitely add this one to the collection.
You know that Wally World will have a good price for this - probably around $16 or so. Best Buy will price match so you can still get your Reward Zone points.
Last edited by dvdjunkie on Thu Oct 20, 2005 1:05 am, edited 1 time in total.
The only way to watch movies - Original Aspect Ratio!!!!
I LOVE my Blu-Ray Disc Player!
Although the UK disc is being released by Entertainment! and not Disney, the Bloopers have been passed by the BBFC.
A whole totally awesome 53 seconds of them. They are also FULL FRAME
Still, the UK release gets a 22 minute World Premiere featurette split into two halves, plus some (as yet unclassified) voice artist interviews.
The UK has a set-top game too, which may end up being the same as the Disney one.
Considering the UK disc is being released Nov 7th, I'm a little worried the main feature hasn't been classified yet, and could end up being FULL FRAME.
It's also approx. 4% faster, thus adding some urgency and excitement to what most consider to be a rather dull film.
I liked it; it had some heart and was an amusing way to spend a couple hours. It just wasn't anything particurarly special--a generic CGI film.
Might buy it, might not, but it happens to come out the same day as The Producers and Peter Jackson's King Kong production diaries, so probably not immidately.
Well I finally saw Valiant thanks to the UK DVD release, and it's far from perfect, but doesn't deserve the 'blanking' it's been getting over in America. But it is a fundamentally European film. I've seen some American reviews where the concept of homing pigeons was totally lost on the reviewer (so I guess there's no bird fanciers in America).
The voice cast shows that there's more to picking "names" (I use the quotes, as most of the "names" won't mean much to the non-British). Dreamworks walks a thin line when casting their animated movies, and Vanguard seems to have crossed the line. Ricky Gervais is, well, just Ricky Gervais, only more so. So you'll either love him or hate him. But he's not the main problem, the main problem is Ewan McGregor in the title role. His "little boy" voice full of innocence tires quickly. I hope he's not like that all through Robots. Others, such as the normally reliable Jim Broadbent do little when just using their voices, showing that even award winning actors don't always have the talent for voice work. Olivia Williams is nothing more than a vocal flop as well.
I didn't see anything wrong with the animation, in fact I thought it was rather good. A common complaint is that the backgrounds are plain and empty, which is true for some scenes, but they reflect the environment of the scene. Some backgrounds were stunning. It's a shame we didn't have more of the movie set in France. The scenes of the pigeons against the consequences of real war, such as big tanks or exploding planes finally gave the movie a much more epic feel. Sadly, it was over all to fast, making me think the filmmakers didn't want to "upset" young children. Notice how the falcons are never called Nazi's either?
Finally, the epic conclusion wasn't. Epic that is. Instead of being chased by only 3 falcons, the film should have ended with a massive chase over the English Channel with 10 or 20 falcons after our heroes, or taken place during the Battle of Britain. Instead, the ending, for all it's good intentions, seems like a bit of a damp squib.
But it's not all bad news. Like I say, I thought the animation was well up to standard, amazing when you compare it's tools and budget to a Pixar or Dreamworks production. I loved the French Resistance mice, characters who wouldn't be out of place in a Pixar film. "Sabotage!" (again, it’s a shame we didn't spend more time in France) and Hugh Laurie and John Cleese give stand out vocal performances (But would we expect anything less). I also liked the conceit of the opening titles.
Sadly, although at a push I would say I liked the film, I can only award it 6/10.
I agree with most of Netty's assessment, though I didn't find anything wrong with Ewan's performance. In fact, I didn't find much wrong with the movie at all. It wasn't excellent, but it was good. As the same things (or worse) seem to be said about <i>Madagascar</i> and <i>Robots</i>, it's just not right that <i>Valiant</i> has gotten lost in the shuffle, but that seems somewhat intentional.
"Fifteen years from now, when people are talking about 3-D, they will talk about the business before 'Monsters vs. Aliens' and the business after 'Monsters vs. Aliens.' It's the line in the sand." - Greg Foster, IMAX chairman and president
I think Valiant is a crap,i saw a few parts and couldn't see the rest,simpley a disgusting crap,this is just an army movie for 5 years old kids,with... why is the nurse pusing that thing into his butt? i know! let's show the kids him in bathroom! or even making sex! how wonderfull! serouisley! think,people,think!.
and let's not talk about "she's my friend!" showing a hoe,"the-*so called* royal-navy-sucks!-but-we'll treats-them-like kings-when-they'll-come-here" and so on,so on,son,this movie should be burnd.
They are also FULL FRAME
